Fundamental Study on Shozan Genyo , who is Japanese Woman Artist in 17th Century

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12243
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 01060:History of arts-related
• Research Institution: Jissen Women's University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Rei 実践女子大学, 研究推進機構, 研究員 (80745175)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 女性画家 / 後水尾法皇 / 観音図 / 尼僧 / 落款 / 黄檗宗

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through a comprehensive survey of Shozan Genyo’s (1634-1727) work, this study examines the actual conditions of her creative activities. She was the eighth daughter of Emperor Gomizunoo, who excelled in scholarship and poetry, was famous as a representative cultural figure of the early Edo period, and a nun who produced many paintings and calligraphic works.
By examining the handwriting, signatures, and seals of her works, all with a clear production year, I was able to show the chronological transition of the paintings and calligraphic works. Furthermore, by examining her paintings “Kannon” and “Portrait of Emperor Gomizunoo,” it was possible to locate the period of production and friendship surrounding the works, while empirically elucidating Shozan Genyo’s production activities.

Free Research Field

日本美術史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本における17世紀の女性画家研究において、画歴が辿れるほどの作品や文献史料が現存する人物は非常に僅かである。本研究において、照山元瑶による絵画、書跡の悉皆調査や史料の精査を通じ、制作活動の一端を提示したことで、17世紀の女性画家を展望する基礎的な研究をさらに充実させることが可能となったといえる。また、本研究における元瑶作品の落款や賛、箱書などの基本情報をもとに、制作背景や伝来の経緯等について提示し得たことは、江戸時代前期の皇女、尼僧の制作活動を理解する上で大きく歩を進めるものとなったと考える。